Improvement in washing-machines



- J. G. MERRITT.

Washing-Machine.

No. 215,145. Patented May 6, I879,

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J92 z/a 112 0 9 UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMEs'c. MER-RI T, OF WARSAW, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. 215,145, dated May 6,1879; application filed March 14, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. MERRITT, of Warsaw, Wyoming county, NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inVVashing-Machines and Ido hereby declare that the following is afull,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of my improvementattached to a tub. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a rearview of the bed and its connections. Fig. 4 is a detail view.

My improvement relates to washing-machines in which the clothes arewashed by being compressed between a reciprocating rubber-board and abed.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts,hereinafter more fully described.

A represents an ordinary wash-tub. B is a supporting-bar resting acrossthe top of the tub, and forming the frame for the washing apparatus.This bar is attached to the tub, on one side, by a hinged latch, a,having a hook end at its bottom, which catches under a plate, I),attached to the tub; or the latch may be made long enough to extend downand catch under the bottom of the tub. The opposite end of the bar has asimple hook, 0, which engages with an eye, (I, screwed into the side ofthe tub.

O is the bed-plate, and D the rubber, which form the washing apparatus.These are both attached to hand-levers E G, pivoted at f g in thecross-bar, said levers extending up through a slot of the cross-bar, andprojecting such a distance aboveas to be easily operated by the hands.The lever E stands nearly upright, while G inclines backward to giveroom for the operation of the parts.

The pivot g of lever G can be changed forward or back in a series ofholes, h h, in the cross-bar, to give more or less space between therubber and the bed to accommodate a larger or smaller quantity ofclothes.

The outer end of lever E is cranked, as shown at t, and the bed-plate Cis connected with the cranked end by two vertical arms, 70 k, of thebed, which extend up, embracing the crossbar, and are pivoted at l tosaid cranked end. At the lower end of the two arms 70 k is a loop orguide, m, which embraces a stifl bar, a, that projects downward from thecross-bar, as shown in Fig. 2.

By this means it will be seen that when lever E is operated thebed-plate C will be reciprocated up and down, and the arms k k and loopm, riding against the stiff bar a, will form a guide to keep the bedfrom twisting or turning, and will always retain it in place.

H is a rigid cross-board attached to the lower end of bar a, extendingacross the tub, resting near its bottom, and serving as a stop toprevent the clothes being driven under the bed by the rubber as the bedrises and falls.

The arms 70 it have a series of adjusting-holes, p 1), through which thepivot Zpasses, by which means the bed may be adjusted higher or lower atpleasure.

A roller, q, is preferably inserted in the vertical bar it, againstwhich the bed 0 bears in its up-and-down movements to relieve thefriction.

The rubber D has lugs s on its back side, which are pivoted at r to thelower end of lever G, so that said rubber has a turning movement on thelever. On the back side of said lugs is a shield, t, which incloses andcovers the lower end of the lever. In the lower end of the lever is apin, u, seated in a socket of the lever and pressed out by a coiledspring, '11, so as to cause the head of the pinto bear against the backof the rubber nearly at right angles and some distance below the pivot1". By this means it will be seen that the rubber can yield back at thebottom.

The operation is as follows: The clothes are placed between the rubber Dand bed-plate C, and the rubber is worked forward and back, which causesthe water to alternately pass forward and back through the clothes. Atthe same time, or at intervals, the bed Q is also worked up and downvertically, which produces a rubbing action on the clothes. Theseactions may be alternated as desired, so that combined pressing andrubbing actions are produced, which are effective in removing dirt.

The operator holds the two levers E G in both hands, so that the machineis under perfect control. The stationary board H, restin g close behindthe vertically-acting .bed and extending below the same, effectuallyprevents the clothes from being pressed under the bed and interferingwith the action. The pivoted I 1. In a washing-machine, the combinationrubber allows free movement of the same, and I of the rubber D, attachedto the pivoted hanthe spring resting against it causes the bottom dle G,to receive a forward-and-back action, of the rubber to close nptowardthe bed,therethe bed (J, attached to the handle E, to receive bygathering and raising the clothes as they a vertical up-and-down motion,and the staare compressed, and preventing their settling tionarycross-board H, attached to bar n bein a body at the bottom. In the backmoveneath and just behind the bed, as shown and ment, also, the bottomof the rubber yields I described, and for the purpose specified.

and prevents the splashing of the water over 2. In a washing-machine,the combination, the tub, which would occur if the rubber was i with therubber D and its lever G, pivoted tostifl'. The spring, instead of beingof the form gether as described, of the spring-pin u, in the shown,maybe of any other by whiehthe same lower end of the lever, bearingagainst the effect is accomplished. rubber, and the shield t, inclosingthe end of The bed may be corrugated longitudinally, the lever, as shownand described. and the rubber be provided with holes extend- In witnesswhereof I have hereunto signed ing partially or wholly through the same,or I my name in the presence of two subscribing be arranged in anydesired manner. witnesses.

w w are adjusting-holes in lever G, for ad- JAMES C. MERRITT. justmentup and down. 1 \Vitnesses:

Having thus described my invention, what i R. F. OSGQOD, I claim as newis- JACOB SPAHN.

